Rivian’s manufacturing boss is leaving to lead Jeep, Dodge’s EV offensive
Rivian (RIVN) is losing its vice president of manufacturing, Tim Fallon, to Jeep, Dodge owner Stellantis (STLA) to spearhead its upcoming EV offensive in the US.
Rivian loses EV manufacturing boss to Jeep, Ram
For the past two years and seven months, Fallon has helped Rivian scale the output of not one but three electric vehicles.
Before that, Fallon worked for Nissan for 16 years in various plant manager roles, including vice president at its Canton Assembly Plant in Mississippi.
Fallon is now pursuing a new opportunity, according to an internal email sent to employees from CEO RJ Scaringe, viewed by Bloomberg. A Rivian spokesperson confirmed the departure, saying, “We’ve had different leaders as we approach different levels of scaling our business.”
“We’re positioning the organization structure for the future,” the spokesperson added. Fallon is the latest of a string of high-level leaders who have left the company recently.
Fallon will join Stellantis as head of manufacturing in North America, effective September 2. The transition comes as Stellantis prepares for its EV offensive in the US.
Meanwhile, Carlo Materazzo will lead Rivian’s manufacturing in the interim. Rivian brought on Materazzo, a former Stellantis exec, last November.
Stellantis preps for new EV launches in the US
Stellantis is launching the first Jeep, Dodge, and Ram electric vehicles in the US in the coming months.
Jeep unveiled the all-electric Wagoneer S this summer. The electric luxury SUV is redesigned with a new illuminated grille and other design upgrades for the modern age.
Powered by the STLA Large platform, Jeep’s EV gets over 300 miles range and up to 600 horsepower. It can also fast charge(20% to 80%) in 23 minutes.
The interior is loaded with Jeep’s latest tech, including a “best-in-class” display setup with 45″ of screen space.
Ahead of its official launch later this year, Jeep is putting the electric SUV through the paces in New Zealand for cold weather testing.
The Jeep Wagoneer S Launch Edition starts at $71,995 and is expected to hit US dealerships this fall. In 2025, it will roll out globally. Jeep’s electric SUV is expected to rival the Rivian R1S and Tesla Model Y in the US.
Another Stellantis brand, Dodge, revealed prices for its first EV earlier this month. The Dodge Charger Daytona EV will start at $59,595. The 670 hp Scat Pack model will start at $73,190.
The electric Charger Daytona looks, drives, and feels like a Dodge, CEO Matt McAlear said. Dodge claims the Scat Pack model maintains its throne as the “World’s quickest and most powerful muscle car” with a 0 to 60 mph sprint in 3.3 seconds. The first Charger EV models are also expected to hit US dealerships by the end of 2024.
Ram’s first electric pickup, the RAM 1500 REV, is also planned to begin rolling out in the fourth quarter of 2024.
While Stellantis is gearing up for a new EV offensive in the US, Rivian has its own ambitions. After major upgrades at its Normal manufacturing plant in April, Rivian expects drastic improvements in efficiency and output.
Rivian produced just 9,612 vehicles in the second quarter due to the shutdown. However, it remains on track to hit its 57,000 production goal in 2024.
The EV maker also gained approval for a massive plant expansion in Normal this week as it prepares for its smaller, more affordable R2.
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Leading electric vehicle analyst, author, and industry thought leaders Loren McDonald and Bill Ferro stop by Quick Charge to discuss EV Adoption’s acquisition by Paren, the “crisis” of EV charging reliability, and the real state of the EV market.
Depending on who you listen, EVs are either driving brands to record growth and are about cross that critical 10% of the overall market nationwide, or the future is bleak, the market is down, and EVs just aren’t selling. What’s really going on? Loren and Bill (probably) have some answers.
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Read more: All my favorite EVs, racecars, and robots from Electrify Expo Austin.
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Chevy EV owners in Texas who have Reliant as their electric utility can now charge for free at night with renewable energy.
Over 150 Chevrolet dealerships across Texas are now offering the Reliant Free Charge Nights plan to new EV buyers. With Free Charge Nights, customers can offset their charging costs by receiving credits for electricity used between 11 pm and 6 am. The plan is powered entirely by renewable energy, thanks to the purchase of renewable energy certificates (RECs).
Rasesh Patel, president of NRG Consumer, says the plan is about making power personal: “We’re excited to help Chevrolet EV drivers offset the cost of charging their vehicle all while having access to a renewable electricity plan.”
This collaboration aims to make EV adoption more appealing by making charging cheaper and greener. GM Energy’s chief revenue officer, Aseem Kapur, emphasized that partnerships like this help build the ecosystem needed to support an all-electric future: “The Reliant Free Charge Nights plan is a great example of how an automaker and an energy company can work together to make EV adoption an easy decision.”
Existing Reliant customers can also sign up for the Free Charge Nights plan. To get started, Chevrolet EV owners need to designate their vehicle on the GM Energy Smart Charging Portal before enrolling in the plan.
Reliant Energy, a subsidiary of NRG Energy, serves over 1.5 million customers in Texas, making it one of the largest electricity providers in the state.
Read more: Texas to get 1 GW AI-powered virtual power plant, enough to power 200,000 homes
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Texas is about to get a major power boost – a new AI-powered virtual power plant (VPP) delivering capacity equivalent to 200,000 homes during peak demand.
NRG Energy is teaming up with Renew Home to bring nearly 1 gigawatt (GW) of capacity to the Texas grid by 2035, aiming to make it more resilient while helping residents save on energy costs.
The new VPP will rely on hundreds of thousands of smart thermostats and other connected home devices, making use of AI technology provided by Google Cloud. These devices, like Vivint and Nest smart thermostats, will be offered to eligible customers at no cost. By automating HVAC adjustments, they help shift energy use to when electricity is cheaper, cleaner, and less strained.
NRG and Renew Home have big plans for the VPP. Starting in spring 2025, the companies plan to roll out the program across Texas, installing these smart thermostats in homes served by NRG’s retail electricity providers. Eventually, they plan to add home battery storage and EVs to expand the power plant’s capabilities.
Texas has faced record-breaking energy demands, with peak usage hitting 85 GW in 2023. As the state’s population grows and extreme weather becomes more frequent, VPPs like this one could play a key role in stabilizing the grid. VPPs aggregate a lot of small-scale energy resources, from smart thermostats to home batteries, and use them to help balance supply and demand during times of high stress on the grid.
This nearly 1 GW VPP will be one of the largest of its kind in Texas. NRG’s president of consumer operations, Rasesh Patel, calls it a “pivotal step” for improving customer experience while making Texas’ energy infrastructure more sustainable and resilient.
In addition to Renew Home, NRG is working with Google Cloud to maximize the power plant’s effectiveness. Google Cloud’s AI and analytics tools will help predict weather conditions, forecast renewable generation, and optimize energy usage, all of which will help make energy management smoother for both customers and the grid.
Ben Brown, CEO of Renew Home, said:
NRG’s commitment to creating a more resilient and sustainable energy future while also making electricity bills more affordable makes them an ideal partner for co-developing this unique VPP program.
This initiative raises the bar for future-proofing our electricity infrastructure and delivering cost savings to customers.
Read: Chinese solar giant Trina sells its Texas factory a week after it opens
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